The Revenge Artist - Philip Siegel Page 0,27

himself did a 180. He was always the faithful, doting boyfriend. Last year, he got up in front of the whole school and sang a song for her for her birthday. You don’t do that, then do what he did. I spot something sparkling in one of Dominick’s pictures. It’s the same sparkly key chain Huxley swung in her hands at Fairfax the other day. Up close, I can make out two red socks. The Boston Red Sox logo. On her key chain? I never thought of Huxley as a baseball fan, but then I remember how into the World Series she got when we were kids. She slept with a cardboard cutout of some player. This was when we were uncool, before she glammed up, met Steve, and headed for the top of the popularity heap. I laugh at the time we had a dance party in her room with that cardboard man.

But it’s in the past. She’s made it clear we are never reconciling. And in the past it will stay.

I return my focus to Dominick. I find a trio of pictures of him at a concert from last February. They’re the first pictures I’ve seen where he isn’t surrounded by at least five guys from the soccer team. He’s only there with Geoff and Jeff, two of the more straight-laced guys from the team. They’re at a small concert venue. I look up the place and the date. Dominick was at a Jessalyns concert.

The Jessalyns is this super emo quartet of guys all dating girls named Jessalyn. The lead singer has been known to cry in the middle of his songs sometimes. They do not fall under the “live it up” party theme of the rest of Dominick’s profile. In the photo caption, Geoff refers to Dominick as Salsa Man.

I’ve never heard anyone call Dominick that name, and it never came up on his profile. I plug the name into Google and after a slew of pages for a real-life Salsa Man salsa distributor, and then even more ads about how said salsa has been recalled, I find a message board post for the Jessalyns’ fan forum.

Anyone going to the 11/18 show at The Firehouse? The Jessalyns are playing in my hometown—finally ☺

The Firehouse is a concert hall on the edge of Ashland. This has to be Dominick. Uncloseted homosexual. Closeted Jessalyns fan.

Now comes Deliberation.

I call up Leo. “We have an in.”

“For Dominick? Really?” He sounds so cautious. I don’t blame him. It’s just an in, not the keys to the holy grail yet.

“He’s a big fan of The Jessalyns, and he’s going to their concert on Friday.”

“The Jessalyns?”

“Yeah, it’s this band of guys—”

“I know who they are. When I don’t feel like jumping off a bridge, I listen to them for inspiration.”

“Leo!” I walk up and down the upstairs hallway.

“Their music is terrible. Is he really into them?”

“Yes, and they’re not so bad. They make people feel feelings.” I’ve never listened to them, but how bad could they be?

“Why can’t he be into better music, like Beat 2 Beat or Laura K. Niles?”

“Maybe Top 40 isn’t his thing.”

“Catchy, fun songs to dance to are everybody’s thing.”

I lean against the wall, not expecting this pushback. I thought Leo would jump at the mere mention of getting close to Dominick. He picked a hell of a time to get picky.

“The Jessalyns are playing at The Firehouse. I think we should go.”

“I have to pay money to listen to them?”

He just reached the end of my rope. “Leo, do you want to date Dominick Salsano? Do you want to know what it feels like to have his lips press against yours? If so, then I suggest you get your butt online and begin listening to every Jessalyns song out there. On repeat. And then you’ll go to their fan page, and you will memorize every fact you can about them. This is the only way it’s going to work.”

“Fine. He better be wearing a tight shirt at the concert.”

After he hangs up, I do some more research on Dominick, see how many Dominick facts I can get for Leo’s back pocket. And then I do some homework, you know, for old times’ sake. It’s almost nine. No word from Diane. I shouldn’t bother her, but I become possessed by curiosity and send her a text. If I don’t hear from her, that means they’re making out.

How’s the date going?

My phone buzzes back before I can put my down. My